All-Leader: Coons captures PotY nod in boys soccer

From Jasper-Troupsburg's run to a state co-championship to a program-record 14-win season in Corning, it was certainly a memorable season on the area boys soccer circuit.

Perhaps the most impressive individual accolade was bestowed on Noah Coons, who was named to the All-Region team, which encompasses New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

So it shouldn't come as much of a surprise then that All-Leader Player of the Year be added to Coons' growing resume.

The following is the 2013 All-Leader boys soccer team as selected by The Leader sports staff in conjunction with area coaches.

Sr. Dalton Cady, goalie, Jasper-Troupsburg

When you break down the accomplishments of Jasper-Troupsburg's senior netminder in 2013, nobody in their right mind would have ever guessed Cady had never played the position prior to the season.

Fourteen shutouts, nine goals allowed all season in a campaign that spanned 22 matches and concluded with a Class D state co-championship aren't the makings of a first-timer at arguably the sport's most important position.

Yet, Cady did all that despite learning to be a keeper on the fly. Cady – who proved to be a natural in goal – was an easy choice as an SCAA all-star.

Cady was named to the Section V all-tournament team and played a vital role in helping the Wildcats capture a share of a state title.

"Probably the best thing about him is just his thought processes," J-T head coach Herb Baker said. "To capture this position in one year and do the job that he did was tremendous. He's quite athletic and quite smart and the two of them got him through."

Sr. Noah Coons, midfield/attack, Corning

Long after the season concluded, the list of accolades kept pouring in for The Leader's boys soccer Player of the Year in 2013.

After being recognized in the STAC West, Coons named first team all-state and as a crowning achievement, was named to the All-Region team, which encompasses New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It's the first time a Corning boys soccer player has ever been bestowed with either award.

No player in the area was more technically or tactically sound than Coons, who recorded eight goals and 10 assists as a senior, spending time at midfield and attack.

"Noah understands the game and he's one of the most hard-working and coachable players that we have," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "He's a great leader. He has the ability to finish with either foot, thread a pass for a nice assist or do anything else with it. He put us in position and himself in position to put us where we were this year and get his teammates to score. He's a very consistent player."

Sr. Alex Goforth, goalie, Corning

The number of goals some keepers allow in one match was same number surrendered by Goforth for an entire season, which spanned 15 games. That number: A paltry 4.

A STAC all-conference selection, Goforth was a wall in goal for the Hawks, registering a program-record 12 shutouts on the season.

A commanding presence in goal, Goforth helped Corning to a 14-win season, the most in the history of the program.

"He's the quarterback of the team," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "He yells out instructions, he sees everything on the field. He's grown so much in three years. He'll make the saves he needs to make and then he'll come up with some amazing saves when you need him to make them."

Sr. Garrett Heil, midfield, Bath Haverling

A Livingston County Athletic Association first-team all-star, Heil was Bath's top scorer for the second straight season, registering seven goals and three assists.

Heil moved from attack to midfield as a senior in order to better control things and still made a considerable impact offensively.

A team captain, Heil played in the Section V senior all-star game.

"He's just a very skillful player," Bath head coach Matt Hill said. "He sees the field real well and when he gets around the goalie, he does have a knack for putting the ball in the net. He's a great leader on the field."

Sr. Caleb Johnson, defender, Elmira

Few players were more skilled as 1-v-1 defenders than Johnson, who made a habit of neutralizing the opposition's top scorers.

A STAC West all-division all-star, Johnson played a pivotal role in Elmira's success in 2013.

"He's technically very solid," Elmira head coach Derek Hamilton said. "Tactically, he was very good and placed himself in good position to thwart the offensive attack."

Sr. Li Molingou, forward/striker, Elmira Notre Dame

Scoring machine isn't a term often associated with soccer, a sport where a 4-3 final would considered "high scoring".

Scoring machine fits the bill for Molingou, who netted an astonishing 33 goals and distributed seven assists as a senior.

The IAC South's Large School MVP, Molingou was an all-state fourth-team selection in Class C. And while Molingou is an unusually young senior who won't turn 17 until after he graduates, he displayed much maturity for his years, serving as a team captain.

"He was a great leader for us," Notre Dame head coach Brian Adams said. "He showed intuition towards the goal, was a great finisher, a great field presence and he's an excellent technical player. I don't think there's another kid in Class C in the state who scored 33 goals."

Sr. Joe Nugent, centerback defense, Elmira

Nugent was as dominant of a player as there was in the air, played very strong on the tackle and simply didn't get beat defensively very often.

A STAC all-conference selection who also nominated all-state, Nugent was one of the best individual defenders in the area.

"He's the top aerial threat in the conference," Elmira head coach Derek Hamilton said. "He gets at anything over the top because he's a big kid – he's about 6-foot and gifted athletically, which really helps."

Jr. Zach Quist, forward/midfield, Corning

Quist proved to be one of Section IV's most versatile players, excelling at forward and midfield for the Hawks in 2013.

One of Corning's top scorers, Quist netted 13 goals and dished out six assists as a junior.

A STAC all-conference selection at forward, Quist showed tremendous vision on the soccer field and displayed a knack for scoring goals in critical situations.

"He's played a lot of different places and he's not just a scorer," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "He attacks, hedefends. He's a player that is a quiet force on the field. He doesn't say much. But he's a very technical player and sees the field very well. He was able to find the other guys on the team to help them. He's great in there. He's great at winning a ball in the air or heading the ball. He can just go up and get it, which was great for us."

Jr. Franco Summa, def. center midfield, Corning

The program-record 12 shutouts Corning registered wasn't all just the doing of the goalkeeper.

As a defending center midfielder, Summa made Alex Goforth's life a lot easier by regularly keeping the ball out of harm's way.

And while Summa was certainly defensively sound, he also showed a scoring touch when called up, tallying 3 goals and 4 assists on the season.

"He was a player that, it wasn't on the stat sheet so much, but he held our midfield together," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "He could play where ever you needed him and he never came out of the game – tough as nails. A good technical player and was a great on-field leader. Good technical ability with his feet. Our midfield was the strongest in the league in my opinion this year and in our system, you needed that guy to direct what was going on."

Jr. Alexander Tostanoski, forward, Corning

When Tostanoski had the goal in his sights, he was almost automatic. A STAC West division all-star, Tostanoski often struck fear into the opposition with his scoring prowess.

Tostanoski was Corning's most prolific scorer, netting a team-best 15 goals to go with his five assists.

Even when marked by the best defenders the opposition could muster, Tostanoski usually had his way. He also showed a knack for coming up with big goal during Corning's program-record 14-win season.

"He's just a lethal finisher," Corning head coach Steve Mastronardi said. "You get him the ball, he's just so consistent – he scored in some of our most competitive games. He could finish with either foot, he had good vision on the field. He'd set up his teammates when he didn't have a scoring opportunity. He has that awareness, to find other people when you're not going to finish yourself, which was key, because a lot of people keyed on him after a few games when he started to flourish and come out of his shell."

Sr. Tyler VanSkiver, forward, Jasper-Troupsburg

Teams would mark VanSkiver with regularity.

And still, VanSkiver would score with regularity.

It's probably safe to say Jasper-Troupsburg's run to a Class D state co-championship wouldn't have been possible without the reliable scoring touch VanSkiver provided.

A Steuben County Athletic Association all-star and member of the Section V, Class D all-tournament team, VanSkiver scored 21 goals and distributed six assists as a senior.

Opposing teams that gave VanSkiver space to work in usually paid dearly.

"The big thing is his ability to come through no matter what the situation," J-T head coach Herb Baker said. "All of our playoff games, except the semifinal game, he scored in. He's a determined individual. I think his shooting was pretty good. He kept the ball low when he shot, he had that good quick first move to break open and then was pretty quick to get the shot off."